Scripted
by NeuroticSeduction
Summary: Riku and Sora work at the Destiny Islands community theatre in their free time. Their new scripts and roles make them lovers, and they play the parts well. But with each rehersal, Sora gets more and more drawn into his role as Riku's lover...YAOI RikuSora
1. Falling Into Character

**NS: YO! Wazzup! Another Kiss from the Kiba-monster!...uhm, rawr. Anyways! This idea came under an extremely sleepy situation in which I was feeling very up to listening to music. Originally, this was going to be about Sora and Riku being professional dance partners but then I realized I knew NOTHING about that! So instead...they're actors. I LOVE to act almost as much as I love to write, so I know a lot about it. **

**.:(insert name here):. is POV**

**Everything in bold with NO NUMBERS are theatre terms, and will be explained at the end of the chapter. Everything in bold WITH NUMBERS are other non-theatre terms I think some people may not understand.**

**This chapter is dedicated to Kaname Natsumi, who gave me good tips on my writing in my last chapter of FFK!**

**All the info is below:**

**Scripted****  
Series: Kingdom Hearts  
Pairings: Sora/Riku  
Rating: T for suggestive themes  
Summary: Life is good at the Destiny Islands community theatre where Riku and Sora hang out in their freetime. They just got the scripts for their winter show; something called 'Let The Snow Stay Frozen', a romance story about two lovers who have only until the end of the winter to be together. But the more rehersals Sora goes to, the further into the plot he falls. Could the feelings his character has for Riku's be becoming his own?  
Start Date: 3/30/07  
Finish Date: 4/22/07  
Inspiration: My Theartre Arts Class and Teacher, Miss Massengill, and the entire theatre arts from my eighth grade class! (plus my gay theatre friend, Michael Stone! Love you, buddy!)**

**And thus ends this VERY long author's note. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Getting Into Character

.:Sora:.

I can't say I was suprised about the role I got in the winter production that year. We were doing a play called 'Let The Snow Stay Frozen'. I hadn't read all the way through the script yet, but I knew the storyline enough to know the Destiny Islands Theatre was doing a romantic play this time around. And of course, even though I tried out for the part of Nathan, I got Christine, his lover. A _female_ role. Although, I suppose I should have just been used to it, seeing as I always got feminine parts. But I was more than a little grateful that the one to play Nathan would be my best friend, Riku. I would not have been able to do it if Ansem had cast _Axel_ as my lover. There's nothing wrong with Axel, himself, but in romantic roles he gets a little to...into his character. Ususally, he stalks his counterpart for weeks until the show.

Oh, Ansem? That's the **director**. I'm not sure if it was him or the **stage manager**, Cloud, who chose that script, but it didn't really matter. I had the biggest role in the whole play and I had a lot of lines to memorize!

It was Friday, 5 PM, and my fingers wrapped lightly across my newly printed script, mouthing the lines to myself. I had begun to act out the staging with my hands when a voice came from behind me.

"Why, hello, _Christine_." Riku played, ruffling my hair. I peered up at him through my bangs and stuck out my little pink tongue.

"Good morrow, _Nathan_." I teased back, reciting one of my lines, and he laughed.

"Gettin into character already, I see." I stood and wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing our foreheads together so that our noses were almost touching.

"Oh, yes. _Very_ into character." I breathed. We stared intently at each other a moment before we broke away, laughing.

"No wonder you always get stuck as a girl. You're such a tease." Riku pouted. I responded with an eyeroll.

"No, you're just horny."

"There's a difference?" he stared at me questionably for a moment and I prepared for a retort when I felt myself being lifted into the air.

"Ack! Axel, put me down right now! This is no way for a priest to act!" I complained, commenting on his role in the play. Instead of listening to me, he slung me over his shoulder and stalked off towards the stage. Behind me, Riku outstretched his hand to me and I copied his movement.

"No! Christine, we will always be together! No matter how far apart!" He recited with a grin.

"Nathaaaaaan!" I dragged out his name, dying down to barely above a whisper and the three of us broke into laughter. After Axel the 'priest' released me, Ansem's voice echoed over the **house**.

"All actors already present! Attention! Head **backstage** immeadiately and try to make a little less noise; the fucking **Hubble(1)** called and asked if we could keep it down!" The director shouted and pointed towards the stage with both hands. "Move it, people!" The stage manager suddenly appeared before him.

"Don't be so harsh, Ansem. Some of these kids are new at acting." I saw said man shoot the other a dangerous look.

"I'll be as fucking harsh as I _want_. Do you have a _problem_ with me being rough, Cloud?" A grin erupted on the blond's face as he leaned over and pecked a playful kiss on his cheek.

"I never am." Cloud winked and Ansem rolled his eyes in response, scrubbing harshly at his face.

"Oh, go fuck your boyfriend."

Cloud frowned and something that sounded like, "Leon isn't here yet," came from him as he bounded towards the stage apron. "People, people! You haven't all been here before so you might not know, yet, but ask anyone who has performed here before; Ansem has a thorned stick shoved up into the wee crevices of his anus. So don't mind him too much." Chuckles came from a few people heading backstage, Cloud following. About half of the cast had already arrived and when Axel finally set me down backstage, some of our friends spotted us and headed over.

"Sora, you lazy bum. How dare you hitch a ride on the sexiness?" Kairi, the oldest of our friends, questioned, draping herself over Axel. The redheaded pyro pushed her off and instead wrapped his arms around Roxas waist.

"This is more my type," Axel assured us and rested his chin in Roxas' hair. The blond tried struggled to get away from Axel's hug-o-death, but gave up finally and let his boyfriend stay like a bird atop his head.

"Do you always have to perch somewhere on me?"

Axel gave him a dumbfounded look. "Of course."

Silver hair suddenly burst through the velvety blue curtains. "Where the fuck is Sephiroth?!" Ansem's voice bellowed, amber eyes darting around the room. I squeaked and ducked behind Riku's shoulder. In respose, another silver head of hair appeared behind us.

"Yes, _father_?" He asked in annoyance.

"Round up the fucking actors and anyone who isn't here in 10 minutes has to wait until tomorrow to practice with us!"

Cloud popped up behind him. "Uh, but...Ansem, play practice doesn't actually start for _20_ minutes." Ansem spun around and glared at the blond man who stood a good two inches below him.

"Do not question my methods!" He shouted and tossed his cerulean scarf over his shoulder, bursting back through the curtains and shouting at the actors who had just arrived to 'get their asses backstage or they're fired'. Cloud smiled to us in apology and hurried after his caffeine-high director. A few people I wasn't very good friends with stomped up the stairs of the **left wing**. Strewed among them, I noticed one of our friends, Leon. Riku smiled and waved him over. Leon didn't smile back. I guess that was just who he was. He was in the play, too; playing the role of the suitor trying to break Nathan and Christine (Riku and I) apart so that he could take my hand instead. His character was Alexander, and I'm not sure if he tried out for _that_ role or not, but it's certainly the one that fits him best.

"I'm no Cloud, but welcome back!" Axel grinned, slapping him playfully on the back.

"Yeah, I haven't seen you since the spring show!" I complained, "But I still don't think I've missed anything because Cloud won't SHUT UP about you over at Merlin's." Oh yeah, Merlin's. That's the cafe/restaurant where a bunch of us actors work after practice. DI's doesn't pay nearly enough to live on. There was a bit of useless chatter and catching up passed between us while we waited for word of what to do next and after no more than ten minutes, that word arrived. Ansem, Cloud, and Sephiroth entered together between the curtains and the director instructed Axel to roll them back, as well as adjust the lighting. When that was all done, Ansem seated himself in a fold-up chair in the middle of the stage and we all crowded around him on the floor...except for Sephiroth, who refused to put his bottom on the stage and Roxas, who was pulled kicking and screaming into Axel's lap.

"I am to assume most of you have already started memorizing your lines, have you not?" Ansem barked out and he recieved some various nods from actors. "Good. Let me make it loud and clear that we will NOT be having a repeat of the spring show's performance! I will have you know that DI still has not recovered it's name fully, and we lost a good amount of audience. You have Axel to thank for that little stunt." said redhead pouted and squeezed Roxas around the waist.

"Don't even start complaining, Pyro-freak. You just HAD to play with your little Roxas right next to the flame torches by the wings _during_ the performance." Cloud chimed in, knowing Axel would become a handful if that wasn't cleared up early on. The blond waved for Ansem to continue.

"And so, in conclusion, do a better fucking job or I'll kill everyone in the theatre and put a bullet in my brain."

Riku snickered beside me, "Though I kinda like that last part, I'm not sure the first part is quite so enticing." A glare was shot his way.

"Riku, if you weren't such a good actor I would fuck you up."

"Ah, but I am and you won't." I pinched the bridge of Riku's nose.

"Would you stop arguing with the director already? I'd like to start practicing some time today. We've gotta do the **cold reading**, still!" It was true. And I knew most of the cast didn't want to do it. Ansem blathered on awhile longer, some of us tuning out, and Axel having the guts to actually fall asleep with his forehead pressed into Roxas' back.

I smiled fondly at the scene before me. Ansem told us straight what was going to happen, and exactly how he wanted it done, using many colorful words, while Cloud, beside him, hurried to correct those words and tell us in a much gentler way how everything worked. Sephiroth stood calm, cool, and collected through the whole speech with his arms crossed, barely batting an eye, but smile ever slightly. I sat on the floor near the front of the small crowd, head leaned on Riku's shoulder, as seeing Axel sleep so peacefully told me it was a good idea. To my left was that very scene, Axel with his arms around Roxas' waist protectively, hugging him even as he slept propped on his back. To my right was a slightly dejected-looking Leon as he propped back on the palms of his hands, making little smiles and gestures up at Cloud, who returned them silently.

Sitting the closest to Ansem and Cloud was our friend for many years staring intently up at them, Kairi, who we were sure had a crush on Ansem, though she would never admit it. Other various friends and fellow actors were placed perfectly around all of this, paying slight attention to the silver-haired man speaking loudly. I smiled contently and rubbed my cheek into my best friend's shoulder.

Although I didn't have someone to sit and hold hands with, or to pull into my lap or make little signs that only we knew the meaning to, I did have Riku. My best friend. My acting partner. My rock. A little piece of my heart belongs with him, whether he knows it or not. And even if that's all we ever are, I'm glad for that much. Yep. Glad for that much. I snuggled just a little closer and let my eyes drift closed. Maybe I'll just rest for...a little while...

* * *

"Two loaded burgers and a heap of fries!" I called back through the kitchen, tacking up the yellow order sheet to the wall where Riku and Axel would be able to see it. I received a whistle in return, most likey from Axel, the universal Merlin's sign of recognition. It let us all know he heard me loud and clear without having to strain anyone's vocal cords...except maybe mine. Probably not good to be breathing in smoke and stressing my voice as the lead of the play, but oh well. Ansem would have to get over it if I got a scratchy throat. I escaped the smoky kitchen fumes as quickly as I could and made for the walled area just behind the cash register. Standing there, and clad in nearly the same uniform as mine, was Cloud, Kairi, and Roxas, holding empty trays. I sighed down at the one in my hands and leaned on the wall beside Cloud.

"Full house tonight, huh," was my attempt at a mood-bringer-upper. However, it didn't have quite the affect I'd hoped for. Roxas rolled his eyes and Cloud barely cracked a smile.

"Unfortunately. Yes."

"How are the guys back there?" Roxas asked, trying to sound interested. All I could do was shrug.

"I didn't see them, but neither of them are dead, yet, and as far as I can tell, Axel has yet to blow anything up. Come to think of it...who was the bright person that came up with the idea of letting Axel work with fire...?" The door from the kitchen swung open and Yuffie burst in, clapping her hands loudly.

"Alright, alright! Strict orders from the top: get your lazy asses up and go wait tables! Angry customers are _not_ good!" She smiled brightly as always, though I had the distinct feeling the three of us wanted to strangle her somewhere in the backs of our minds. Cloud pushed off the wall and scratched the back of his head lazily.

"Why'd you have to go and disturb us? We were _just_ gettin into the conversation." he smiled, bemused. Yuffie smacked the back of his head.

"Oh, shut up and go, Chocobo." The insult flew right over my head, as I had no idea what she was talking about. Reguardless, Roxas and I trailed after Cloud. Kairi apparently opted to follow Yuffie back through the kitchen door. After another three hours of waiting tables ranging from snotty, drooly kids, to sweet old ladies who left good tips. it was finally time to quit. I hung the blue Merlin's apron by Cloud's on the wall and waved goodbye to the manager and co-owner, Aerith. She smiled and waved us out.

"You boys work so hard for us. I couldn't ask for anything more. Now go on home before Ansem gets on me for working you all too hard!" She laughed a little and we headed out. Roxas turned left as we exited and Axel followed, even though his house was in completely the other direction. Roxas tried to shake off his stalker but found himself unsuccessful and gave up, listening to the redhead's mindless chatter about...probably fire, but none of us could ever be sure with the sugar-induced happiness Aerith had so _kindly_ fed him.

"Man, work was a killer tonight." Oh, so Riku was going to start the conversation today. Cloud nodded and stretched his arm behind his head, working at the muscles there.

"I think we did too good of a job spreading the word of Merlin's. And with work five nights a week, and play practice six days out of seven...we're going to KILL ourselves."

I giggled a little. "Not to mention scare the hell outta Ansem while we're doing it. You know how he gets--especially around the performence date. I should fake like I'm sick up near the end of January." Riku glanced at me and a slightly creepy grin made its way across his face.

"Actually...that might not be such a bad idea, you know." I saw a similar look in Cloud's eyes.

"We could get Ansem really good, Sora," he chimed in, "and I know you want to." I thought about it for a moment and shrugged. Afterall, it wans't like it would really work anyone. Just scare him a little. So I nodded and Riku did a victory pose.

"Yes! So it's decided! But we can't tell anyone else about this...it'll spread around too fast--like Axel with a lighter." I threw my hands behind my head, laughing gently; something to my right caught my eye. For a moment it looked as if someone had been peering out of their window and closed the curtain as I turned to look. I stared at it for a while, but decided it was nothing and kept on the coversation with Cloud and Riku.

We came upon a large, Victorian-style house painted a light violet that was peeling in a few places. A high window in the top floor was cracked and a wooden, covered porch extended into most of the yard, its original door replaced with a screen one. Cloud walked up to it and as it opened; a creaking was heard.

"Later guys." And he dissapeared into the shadows near the back of the porch. I smiled contently, walking beside Riku. A soft wind blew around us and tickled my cheek with my hair. Something--I never was sure what--filled my thoughts for a few moments. It was confusing and slightly sickening, flashing before my mind. It brought my heartrate up and the smile I held melted into a frown.

"My dear, Christine. Does something trouble you?" Riku asked in a very well-masked sensual tone. It took me no time to know he was talking about the play. I took a deep breath and fell into character, practicing the scene we had both memorized.

"In fact, beloved Nathan, it does," Ohh...my girlie voice was even better than last year's!, "It is something that...concerns my sister."

Riku's hand found mine and he brought it to his face, running the fingers smoothly over his cheek. A slight wave of chills ran over me, but only for an instance as I halted and performed the staging with him as well. My remaining hand found the other side of his face.

"What is it, my lady? Anything you need to say, you know is acceptable. I will always listen."

"Always?"

"Always. And so--what troubles you?" I slowly slid my hands down away from his face.

"Though I now know it was wrong, I read through my sister's journals." He placed his hand on my shoulder and I turned away, shaking him off gently.

"And what did you find within the diaries of Christine?"

"I found that she loves you and wishes to take you away from me!" I crouched down on the ground, covering my face in my hands. I thought I was playing the part rather well and had impressed even myself. I was mentally congratulating myself when I felt Riku's strong arms wrap themselves around me and his soft breath by my ear. Again, the chills returned and I chose to ignore them, noting to figure out what that was about later.

"It matters not. You must know that I would never leave you. Not for your sister, not for anyone." I turned and a sweet smiled snuck across my lips. His fingers wrapped around mine and pulled me to my feet. My mind rattled as the next part of the script was completely forgotten...and then I remembered, ready to burst.

"Uh, this is where we have to...uhm, kiss." I watched him grin almost stupidly and he leaned over, laying the smallest brush of a kiss across my lips. After only a moment of frozen...eh, something like shock, I remembered what to do next and I took two steps ahead to do it--

"OOMPH!" I muttered, feeling my foot catch in a sunken place in the ground and before I had time to recatch my balance, I found myself sprawled on my back across the chalky-colored sidewalk. My hands stung where I had thrown them behind me in a failed attempt to stop the fall. Instead of hearing the laugh I was sure to come my way, Riku had gone after me as soon as he saw I was going to fall. But, too bad for me, he had been a little too late. His arm wrapped around my waist and lifted me to my feet.

"You okay, man?" I looked down and checked my body. Everything appeared to be in working order.

"Yeah, but my hands sting a little..." I turned them over to examine the palms that were burning and hissed. The skin was scraped badly and blood pooled a little in my cupped hand. "Ew." I commented and turned my hand back over to let the red liquid drip onto the cement.

"Sora! I thought you said you were okay!" Riku scolded. I wiped my hands on the sides of my pants--they were red anyways.

"I thought I was! It didn't hurt _that_ bad!"

Riku scowled and wrenched my hands away by the wrists. He brought them up to his face and examined the wounds. "You can't tell me this didn't hurt." he accused.

"Well, actually-" I stopped short. Riku was no longer staring at my hands. His eyes were closed and he had his lips pressed to them, instead. A hot tinge of rouge rushed across the bridge of my nose and I fought the urge to rip my hands away. Thankfully, it was shortly after this that he pulled away, trickles of red strewn across his lips. He smiled a little and licked it away. I stared at him, wide-eyed, mouth agape. And I found that, even stranger than the fact that he had kissed my wound, it no longer ailed me.

"Better?" He asked, releasing me. My arms fell like noodles to my sides. I would never be able to lie to him...curses!

"...maybe. Now why did you do that?!" I demanded, mentally trying to make my hands hurt again so that I could effectively tell him they still hurt. It didn't work. He shrugged and kept walking.

"Because I knew it would help. Minor pains like that are more psychological than actually being physical. I bet you didn't really even start to feel it until you looked down, right? It's the same thing as when a two-year-old falls and scrapes his knee, then looks down to decide how much of a scream it's really worth. Purely psychological." Taking a moment to think about it...I realized that yeah, that's what happened. My bottom lip turned down into a bit of a pout, and I hurried to catch up to Riku.

"You think you know everything, don't you?"

"Nope. I know I do. I just can't remember it all at once time."

I looked up and drew back. "I'm home already? Wow, what happened to the walk?"

"That's what happens when you're having fun, I suppose." I nodded and started to walk up my drive, Riku turning on his heel.

"Hey..." I started, wondering if I should even ask. "you wanna...come inside?" I saw him shake his head and waved as he dissapeared into the shadows of the sidewalk.

"Naw, I gotta get home and feed Tidus. You know how he gets when he doesn't eat."

I nodded and continued up my stairs and into the house. I don't know why I was hesitant to ask; Riku was my best friend, afterall. It was perfectly normal to ask him inside my home...right?

I was hit with a burst of fresh air, stepping into the livingroom of my cozy home. I kicked off my shoes and left my jacket on the blue relaxing chair by the front door. I heard a jingling come from the back room and out trotted my fluffy crimson kitten. I bent down and she rubbed her cheeks and whiskers against my outstretched fingers.

"I missed you, too, Red." Yep. I had named my little kitty Red XIII. Don't ask me why; the name just kind of came to me. "I'll get you fed in just a minute." I headed off towards the kitchen to do just that when I heard the phone ring from it's place on the other side of the living room. Red looked very dissapointed, but gave me a look of approval to go and answer it while she plopped down in the doorway to the kitchen so that I could not forget she was hungry. Propping the phone by my left ear and removing my socks to toss across the room at the same time, I answered it in time.

"Yo?"

"Uh, hi. Sora, it's Cloud. I was just wondering if you might have heard anything from Leon..." I frowned.

"...no, I haven't. Cloud, are you okay? You sound a little shaken up." It was true. His voice was weak and struggling to keep a steady tempo.

"Yeah. It's just...well, Leon was supposed to be over tonight for our...for something special. He's not here and I haven't gotten a call or a note or anything and...he's just not the kind of person to do that." I could mentally see Cloud run his hand up through his hair.

"I'm sorry, Cloud. But I really haven't heard anything. If anything comes up, I'll let you know, though."

"Okay, Sora. Thanks. It means a lot." I smiled, feeling like I was doing a good job as a friend. :)

"No problem. See ya." The line went dead from the other end and I shrugged, putting the phone back on the charger. I headed for my bedroom when a mewl from the other direction caught my attention. Red was staring up at me with the cutest possible expression she could muster up. I laughed and scooped her up into my arms. "And I almost forgot about my little kitty! No worries, I got you covered!"

Red mewed loudly in response.

**Theatre Terms**:  
**Director**: the person in charge of the production. He controls staging and characterization as well as lighting and music effects.  
**Stage Manager**: Pretty much the same as above, but with far less control over the theatre itself. His job is to monitor actors and make sure they are on task and know what they're doing. In Cloud's case, he also keeps Ansem in check..;;  
**House**: Theatre term for where the audience sits.  
**Backstage**: the area behind the curtains.  
**Left/Right Wings**: The parts of the stage the actor does not act on. The direction is determined by the actor's POV. (ex. left wing is to actor's left)  
**Cold Reading**: The very first group reading of the script. Before anyone knows how to present their lines, the way they perceive them.

* * *

**(1)Hubble: It's a space station...you know, up in space and all that jazz.**

* * *

**NS: Oh yes! I'm so good! FINISHED! And to add to finishing something...I'm about to finish my KH 2 game! I'm on the fight at the end, against Xemnas in the black and white coat. (God, the dragon battle before that pissed me off) This isn't even the hardest battle in the game (for me anyways). For me it was a tie between Luxord and Xigbar...I spent three hours on each of them. But...if you ask Ten-Second-Tom, her first answer will be Demyx. Personally, I thought he was pretty easy. I only had to fight him three times and both times I lost before that was because I ran out of time in the stupid water clones...7-7 **

But anyways! How'd you like the fic? This was originally going to be a one-shot, but I realized it would be far too long for such and so added plot twists and stuffs to make it longer! Oh, and 'Let the Snow Stay Frozen' is my own creation; I'm even writing it as a separate book with the characters they will be playing.

Until Next time, Ja!

**Edit: Uhm, I edited some typos and corrected a few minor things, but there still may be things I missed...sorry. Typos are the devil's spawn. **


	2. Cold Reading

NS: I begin this chapter while 'Hello' and 'Taking Over Me' by Evanescence plays in the background...I sincerely hope that doesn't make my writing depressing...

.:(insert name here):. is POV

**Scenes from the play **

Start Date: 4/25/07  
Finish Date: 6/6/07  
Inspiration: Reviews! Thanks, Katraa!

Chapter 2: Cold Reading

* * *

.:Sora:.

Mondays have always sucked. I've been a happy morning person all through my entire life, but sometimes Mondays still managed to get to me. Practice had been cancelled the previous Saturday, and I didn't have many details about it. All I really heard was that Ansem had been in the hospital that day.

I pushed my auditorium-style chair bottom upwards and sat on it, getting a height boost. Riku was looking quite bored by the whole situation, as we were doing nothing and a tiny voice from the back of my mind chose that moment to comment on how cute he looked with his lips poked out and his mouth slightly ajar...

...however, I promptly squished that part of my mind with big yellow shoes.

Closer to the front, Cloud really was a mess. He hadn't heard from Leon in three days and it was really affecting his concentration and nerves. Ever since that date or whatever it was Leon missed on Friday, Cloud couldn't stay still. As a matter of fact, none of us had heard anything about him at all. Cloud was usually our only update to Leon's life unless we were in the middle of a production.

No one had even noticed that I was yet to speak a word. I sat quietly alone, sulking and not breaking any rules. The other actors present were sitting in seats near the stage, chatting noisily. I didn't care. Riku looked just as dejected as I did, though. Roxas and Axel were on either side of him, smiling and trying to have a conversation, but he looked completely uninterested. Curiously, I wondered why he was so upset; afterall, he didn't have any real connections to Leon, though it could've been something else.

"What the fuck! Sephiroth!" Bellowed by director's voice across the theatre. The young man he beckoned for spun around in his seat.

"What now, Dad?"

"Where the hell is Leon?" Beside Sephiroth, I saw Cloud wince.

"Why do you expect me to know?"

Ansem fumed and crumpled a script in his hand. "Find out!" he commanded. "I have to run things here, so YOU go and find him! Or you're cut from the show!"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes, I'm sure knowing he'd never be cut. I smiled a little, thinking the same thing. Nevertheless, he obeyed and stormed out of the theatre. Ansem strode to lean on the apron of the stage, massaging his temples.

"Here's the deal." He began. I was glad he had such a naturally loud voice or I would have never been able to hear him from so far away, "As I'm sure some of you are already aware, Squall is apparently missing."

"Leon." A small, but firm voice muttered from the audience. I was sure it had been Cloud.

"Yes, well, _Leon_ is missing and has been for a few days. I'm guessing none of you know anything about where he may be, but if none of you hear anything by tomorrow's practice, we're going to file a missing persons report." Ansem took a breath and clapped his hands together, "Now, then, on with practice! Axel and Kairi, get to work on the Bar set. The half that's already built, Kairi can paint, the rest is Axel's job. I wan that set done _today_. Not tomorrow and not next week. TODAY." He made a 'move along' motion with his hand and the two stood and headed onto the stage to get started.

"What color is the backdrop going to be? I've gotta paint the wood to match it." Kairi questioned before deciding on a can.

"Brown, genius. Wood is generally brown. Make the wood the same color." Kairi narrowed her eyes, but picked up the can and brush and set to work. Ansem turned back to us.

"We'll work on the scenes in order. That means Roxas and Riku, you're up for the scene they're working on. You'll have to do with chairs by themselves for this practice. I want the rest of the actors to sit in the first three rows of the middle section of the house. _Quietly_, or else." He snapped his fingers three times. "Move it!" Everyone, including me (to my extreme dismay), moved to the correct stations and after only a moment of confusion, the scene began.

Riku strode up to Roxas and took a seat at the 'bar'. "Hey." He sighed and pretended to signal the bartender for a drink. Roxas patted him on the shoulder.

"Woman troubles, eh?" Riku ran his hand up through his hair and chuckled.

"How'd you know?"

"It's in your demeanor(sp?), brother. I can see it," Roxas promptly thumped Riku in the head, "in your eyes."

"Ah, stop reading my eyes. I suppose I will do it tonight, then. I believe you know what I mean."

Roxas laughed. "Aye. I do. Good luck with it then."

Riku rolled his eyes and glanced up at Ansem while Roxas left the stage. Ansem clapped his hands.

"Terrible! The scene needs a ton of work! However, it will have to wait until another day, for it is time for the Proposal! Actors to your places! Sora and Riku, that means you!"

I shot to my feet and skipped down the isle, giving Axel and Roxas high-fives as I passed. That was one of the many things that had become a DI tradition, and those two always seemed to be nearby to execute it. While Ansem had his back turned, I climbed up onto the stage, avoiding the stairs at all costs. That was another tradition; to find out who could get away with not using the stairs without getting caught the most times before a production was finished.

"That's three so far!" I boasted. Riku winked at me and I stuck out my tongue, looping my arm into is while waiting for further instruction. The house settled down and Ansem waved his hand, letting us know to begin. We stood center stage and strode slowly forward.

"My dearest Nathan. Perhaps there is not. Perhaps within our love, we hold the best of life in our own hands." We paused in our steps and he turned me to face him.

"And why shouldn't we? We deserve it all! More! We should be married!" his voice boomed. I gasped and brought a hand to my lips.

"But are you sure...that we can?" I asked uncertainly.

"Don't you want to?"

"I do! Oh, believe me, Nathan; I do! It is only that...I am...a member of such a high class and...would we be allowed to...?" Riku took my other hand in his.

"My being a peasant makes no difference in the face of our love! Come and let us be married, Christine!" A graceful smile came to my lips. I nodded.

"Alright, Nathan. And so we shall be married."

One of Riku's hands came to hold my face. He pressed our foreheads together. I knew that it was acting, that itg was all just a show, and still.. a rush of pink danced across the bridge of my nose.

"And I will make you the happiest bride." Riku leaned in, but did not move to perform a stage kiss...

EEP! I was really about to get kissed!

My eyes slid half-closed and I played along, and as his lips were hovering less than an inch above mine, I could feel the steady exhale of his breath and it tickled my cheek. His hair fell over into his eyes and...

...BAM!

The door to the front entrance of the of the theatre slammed open. Water poured in from the steady beating of the rain outside and pooled at the feet of a figure who was darkened by the shadowed glow of outside colliding with the bright light above the house. The door closed back and as the figure came came stalking down the isleway and we all got a glimpse of who it was. Riku leapt away from me and ran to the edge of the stage.

"Leon!" he annouced, then spun back around to me. "Sora! It's Leon!"

I nodded slowly. No dip. I know Leon when I see him. You know, leather jacket, huge scar across his nose. Yeah, kinda hard to miss once you've met the guy... Then I pressed the back of my hand to my cheek.

Oh, man was I burning up!

Don't get me wrong, I was glad Leon was back (now maybe Cloud could settle down a little), but...what the hell! I was in the middle of a _very_ important scene...

Cloud hopped from his seat in the middle of center house and ran to his boyfriend, nearly tripping own his own pant legs that were far too long on the way. He grabbed two fistfuls of Leon's jacket and clenched down. Water dripped from the man's hair and clothes and ran in streams down the skin of his face and neck. If I didn't know Leon better, I'd have even said he was crying.

"Oh my god, where were you? No one could find you and I was so worried! I even--"

Leon clamped a hand over Cloud's mouth. He stared him down and it was in that moment I was certain I watched a tear fall.

"Don't. Cloud, I can't..." he took a deep breath and released the blond. "We're over."

The look on Cloud's face alone sent chills to my neck and dropped my stomach to the floor. Riku flew off the stage and I was close behind him. Cloud's eyebrows turned downward and his face twisted into a confused smile. His hand brushed Leon's cheek and pushed away some of the hair matted to his skin.

"What are you...talking about?", he sputtered, swallowing hard.

I leaned against the stage and gaped at the scene. Riku started forward, but my arm shot out, holding him back. His gaze met mine and I shook my head 'no'. Riku fell back next to me.

"Cloud-" The brunette began, but was stopped by the director coming up behind them and seemingly unaware of their previous conversation.

" are never late, Squall. I will not tolerate this foolish tardiness a moment longer. And there is _certainly_ no excuse for worrying all of us to death. You gave Cloud such a scare...anyways, you completely ruined our scene. You get to work with Axel and Kairi on the set. Just consider yourself lucky you haven't got any scenes until tomorrow!"

I let my arm drop and gaped at Riku as Ansem forced Leon to the stage. "What...was that...?" I asked in a hollow voice. Riku shook his head slowly, then hit my shoulder with the back of his hand and pointed between the isles where Cloud still stood, completely unmoved. I drew in a breath and trotted up to him. My arm found its way around him shoulders and he found his voice, finally.

"No...no. NO! Leon!" he called after the brunette and about-faced towards him. The seemingly most unlikely person stopped him. Ansem took him by the forearms and held him still.

"Cloud. Stop. Do you really think you'll be able to do anything about it even if you chased him? Do you want what chance you have left to be hindered?" Cloud struggled for a few moments longer, then gave up and sank to the floor. Riku and I kneeled on either side of him.

"Cloud? Will you be okay?" Riku asked in a small voice. Cloud nodded slowly, then sucked in a huge breath and stood shakily. We thought, perhaps, he was going to be fine when he halted and staggered for a second, then rushed towards the bathrooms.

"I'll go," I offered and headed in the same direction.

* * *

I pulled Cloud's hair back against teh sides of his head as he lurched forward in front of me. His clammy hands gripped the white porcelain, half of his actions naught but dry heaving, as all he contained had been discarded in the beginning. I closed my eyes and tried to sooth him while attempting not to become sick as well.

"Shh...Cloud, it's okay. It'll be alright. You'll be fine," I repeated time and again. Finally, he was able to rest, and when he did, he lay his cheek on the rim of the toilet seat.

"No, Cloud," I murmured and sank to the floor, turning him to face me. He curled into a ball and I pulled him into my lap. He didn't cry; just hiccuped over and over. Once I thought he had murmured 'Leon', but I wasn't sure.

It was ridiculous what Cloud was being forced to go through. He worried himself weak for three days while Leon was missing. That brown-haired bastard even missed their anniversary. The two of them had been together for five years and always seemed so happy. Everytime I saw either of them, they were in each other's arms, so entirely open to the world about their relationship.

So what went wrong? I couldn't comprehend. Last Friday, things had been perfectly fine. They were flirting all through Ansem's 'new production' speech, but something must have happened with Leon between Merlin's and the trip home that no one else knew about. It seemed Leon himself was the only one who had the whole story.

I sighed heavily and pushed a sweaty lock of hair from my forehead. I would just have to do some investigating myself.

* * *

Thesbians: The olde, technical term for actors.

* * *

NS: Welll...this wasn't as long as I wanted it to be, but at least you have your update. I know it seems like I get them out slow, but it's because I don't pick one story to work hard on until I update. I work a little on them all slowly...and that's why a lot of them end up updating at once. But anyways! Whatcha think? I don't really have much of an A/N on this one, but oh, well. R&R!

Ja ne!

TBC


	3. Cue the Lights

**NS: Hokai...see, what had happened was... xD Uhm, I got very distracted and started a new project and forgot about little old Scripted...but then I got an AWESOME review that kicked me back into shape! So...I restarted with the third chapter! Yay!**

**.:(insert name here):. is POV**

**Everything in bold with NO NUMBERS are theatre terms, and will be explained at the end of the chapter. Everything in bold WITH NUMBERS is anything else I want to make sure is clear.**

OMG I DON'T OWN KINGDOM HEARTS! ...DUH. :)

[[** Scenes from the play**

Start Date: 7/8/07  
Finish Date:   
Inspiration: Ayumi Hamasaki & Michelle Branch

This chapter is dedicated to Katraa, who kicked me back into writing it time and again! 0:)

Chapter 3: Cue The Lights

.:Sora:.

"Riku, I don't understand," I whined, falling back on my bed. I heard him sigh.

"Do I really need to explain it again?" He asked, sounding irritated. I pressed the cordless phone closer to my face and sat up.

"Yes! Apparently you do because I don't _get it_!" I ran my hand up through chocolate-spiked hair and shot to my feet. A screech beneath me made me stumble backward and fall back on the bed. A small red ball of fur streaked out my door, followed by the echoing sound of a jingle. "Woah. Sorry, Red!" I called after my kitten.

"The answer is obvious: Leon is under the control of the molemen from Mars and they are planning to use him to sabotage the play and connect it to the airwaves, thereby overriding all TV programming to announce their plans to takeover the world!"

"..."

"Can you think of any other explanation?"

"...Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"Put down the comic books and back away slowly."

"I'm serious, Sora. This could be bad!" I rolled my eyes and got a running start down the hall, then slid into the kitchen in my Inuyasha socks. Red peeked out from under a placemat on the kitchen table and cocked her head to the side. I grinned and reached into my pocket, tossing her a treat.

"My kitty is so adorable..." I murmered, smiling. I could hear Riku smack his forehead through the receiver.

"Can you focus for five minutes?"

"On what, Riku? Your dreams of misplaced spandex and troops of men that wear their underwear on the outside?" I rolled my eyes dramatically and opened the freezer, pulling out a carton of my best friends, Ben & Jerry **(1)**. "Mmm...Moose Tracks **(2)**," I mused aloud.

"No, smartass. On the problem at hand. _Something_ is obviously up with Leon and I want to find out what it is!" Riku rambled on and on in my ear. I dipped my finger into the chocolate, then into my mouth.

"I know there's something going on, but I really don't think it's any of our business," I pointed out, racking my kitchen for a normal-sized spoon.

"But...what if it's something really terrible and we just sit back and pretend there's nothing wrong and someone gets hurt? Again! We all saw what he's already done to Cloud...turning him into an emotional mess and you know what that's going to do to the play..."

The spoon I had just found clattered to the floor and I set the ice cream box down on the kitchen table. "So, _that's_ what this is about? You're worried about the _production_?!"

"No! I mean, yeah, but that's not--"

"Riku! I cannot believe you; you're turning into Ansem, for God's sake! Is that what you want? How can you possibly be thinking about the play? I thought you cared about our friends!" I stomped back into my livingroom and picked up my copy of the script, glaring at it and crumpling it in my grasp.

"Sora, calm down. You're overreacting!"

"No, Riku. I'm not!" I threw the binded papers to the ground. "If you are seriously dense enough to bring the _play_ into this conversation, you've got another thing coming!" Angered, I threw the cordless phone down on the reciever. "That jerk!" I shouted and startled Red, who had just stalked into the room beside me. She jumped and skittered under the couch. Still angry, I stormed to my room and slammed the door.

So clouded was I by anger that I never noticed the squeak of my closet door open and shut, or the impatient shadows the paced behind it.

(oO ) (OO) ( Oo) 

.:Riku:.

I stood speechless on my backporch, leaning over the rail and staring open-mouthed at the phone which was now eminating a rather loud dial-tone. It was several moments later when I was shaken from my state of shock by a yell for me from inside the house.

"Ri_kuuu_! C'mere!" I groaned and clicked the off button on my cordless phone.

"What do you _want_, Tidus?" I demanded, shrugging through the sliding glass door into the house. My eyes shot wide and I dove down on my chest, sliding across the kitchen floor in time to catch my little brother, who had been dangling from the crystal chandelier. He landed on me with an 'oomph' and crushed my arms beneath his 110 pounds. "Ow..." I whined, pushing him off of me. He jumped right up and grinned.

"Let's do it again!" I forced myself to a sitting position and rubbed my shoulder painfully.

"What the hell, Tidus! What were you doing?!" I asked, angered. He blinked and pointed at the ceiling.

"I was trying to get to Mom." My harsh gaze softened instantly.

"Tidus, what are you talking about?" I asked, only half of me really wanting to know what was going through his young, 11-year-old mind at that moment.

"Dad said..."

"What?"

"Dad said Mom was up there..." to emphasize, he pointed upwards, "and that she was in a better place. And...I thought she might be getting lonely up there all by herself. So I decided to go and visit her!" He beamed at me, showing off two gaps in his set of top teeth. He lost them just the day before...

I had a sudden urge to give my brother a hug. However, I'm not _that_ kind of brother. So instead, I patted his shoulder.

"Why don't you go upstairs and play that new Kingdom Hearts II game I bought you? I bet it's even better than the first!" I winked at him, trying to stir his mind away from thought of _those people_ who dared call themselves our parents.

Mom and Dad were traveling all over Europe, trying to track down a man who owed my father a lot of money in his business. They were close..._very_ close to him when my Mom was shot. They think it was the man they were looking for that did it, but the case was never closed because there was never enough evidence. That was about a year ago.

No one ever told Tidus what happened.

I wanted to, but Dad said no. He said he wasn't emotionally mature enough. And that may be true, but I know that if someone waited years to tell me my mom had been murdered because I wans't mature enough, when I found out, I would be PISSED. And I know Tidus is going to be. Sometimes I'm still tempted to tell him, but I just don't want him to find out the wrong way. Afterall, he thinks Mom died in a car accident... that's all he was ever told. Maybe it was better that way, though... I don't know.

My pocket began to vibrate and I was alarmed instantly, then I realized it was my phone. I whipped it out and flipped it open. The called ID read 'Sora'. Almost scrambling to do such, I pressed the 'Answer Call' button and thrust the phone to my ear.

"Hello?!" I asked in a hopeful tone. Maybe he was sorry? Or wanted me to apologize... I waited one minute...two... "Sora, are you there?"

"Riku..." he spoke in barely above a whisper. Okay... that's kind of weird...

"Sora? Are you okay?"

"I think I need help, Riku. I think there's someone--" Click. The line went dead. My eyebrows flew up and I clicked the phone closed. What was that about? Ah, no time to think. Gotta help Sora!

I grabbed my shoes that were by the backdoor and slipped them on while I skidded in one socked foot to the bottom of the stairs.

"Tidus, I'm going out! I'm be back later!" I called up them and ignored the lack of response. If he hadn't heard me, oh well. I'd be back later. Without meaning to, I slammed the door behind me on the way out it and jumped on my bike, switching it to the fastest speed. I pedeled(sp?) faster than I thought I could down the street. I took a fast right and just barely avoiding an oncoming camero coming from the opposite direction. I didn't care. I sped forward and stopped at Sora's great big yellow house.

My bike was tossed somewhere in his overgrown garden of a front lawn and I took the front steps two at a time. The door was open. The _door_ was _open_. Panic rose in my throat as I dashed in past Red, who had saudered outside and was mewing loudly on the top step.

After checking three times, I finally came to terms that the house was empty. There was nothing, no one. There was an open carton of ice creme in the kitchen with a spoon on the floor nearby. Nothing else was out of place. Except _Sora_.

Sora didn't do things like that. Sora was very careful about how he went about things. And to call just after they were having an argument?

And what Sora had said...

_I think I need help, Riku. I think there's someone--_

He needs help.

"He needs my help!" I shouted without meaning and turned on my heel, bursting back out the front door, intent on finding out what the hell was going on.

(oO ) (OO) ( Oo)

**NS: Well, now. Um, by now, you're all going 'WTF?! I thought this was going to be a sappy romace!" Well, my children...guess again. :D There will still be all that lovey-dovey mess, but for now, le DRAMA:O I KNOW its short. I am aware. But...I actually skipped some stuff and moved everything back a chapter so it mixed up the order of things and...well, anyways. It made this one short. More content next time. I swear it. R&R!**


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